Mandel's greeting, "Master," hung in the air, drawing a strange look from Holbrook, who stood nearby.
If it had been a young girl calling John "Master," perhaps Holbrook wouldn't have thought much of it. He might have been amused by the flirtatiousness of modern youth. But when a man—especially one like Mandel—addressed John with such a title, it felt awkward.
Back in Holbrook's day, such terms of respect were rare and reserved for situations of great formality. For a man to call another man "Master," particularly in such an intimate setting, struck him as odd.
John, sensing the discomfiture in the air and knowing Holbrook's mind well, cursed inwardly. This guy's been poisoned by too many unrighteous thoughts, he thought bitterly.
But before he could dwell on it any longer, Mandel called out again, "Master…"
John stiffened at the repeated address. His discomfort was apparent. His face contorted as if a chill ran through him, and he quickly waved his hand dismissively. "Don't call me that anymore. Just call me Mr. Lopez," he said, his tone slightly strained.
Mandel blinked, confused but obedient. "Okay, Mr. Lopez."
Feeling the shift in tone, John decided it was time to step outside. He motioned for Mandel to follow him. "Come with me," he said, leading him out of the Feazer Medical Clinic and into the quiet street beyond.
Once they were alone, John turned to Mandel, his voice serious. "Tell me the truth. Why did you come all the way to the US instead of staying as the second-in-command of your Australian Ninja League?"
Mandel hesitated before answering. After a deep breath, he began recounting everything that had transpired: Daniel's decision to leave the Australian Ninja League and join the Kingslayer Alliance. He told John everything, omitting nothing.
John listened intently, his face betraying no emotion. When Mandel finished, John simply smiled. "That's exactly what I expected."
John had been aware of the Kingslayer Alliance's formation for some time. He had known the group would attract martial artists hostile to the US, a fact that didn't surprise him in the least. The US had always been a hotbed of unrest, and the rise of such factions was inevitable.
"I've already seen it coming," John said calmly. "I didn't intervene because it was predictable. Let them gather. The more enemies they draw, the more devastating the consequences will be."
John's tone was so detached, so indifferent, that Mandel couldn't help but feel a chill at the thought of the future.
Mandel, his mind racing, thought of the countless warriors who might fall victim to the expanding turmoil. "Mr. Lopez… what should I do now?" he asked, his voice filled with respect and anxiety.
John's eyes met Mandel's with an almost imperceptible gleam. "I don't need you to do anything. Just… don't tell anyone that I'm still alive."
"Understood," Mandel replied quickly, his loyalty unwavering despite the complexity of the situation.
Mandel departed soon after, leaving the US and returning to Australia. As he traveled back, a storm of emotions raged within him. He was loyal to the Australian Ninja League, but he couldn't shake the feeling that they had made a grave mistake by doubting the Oracle King's abilities.
How could someone like John—an unparalleled master—ever die so easily?
That was a belief Mandel had held onto for so long, and now, seeing John alive and well, he felt both vindicated and sorry for those who had doubted him. The deception had been so well executed that even the US government had participated in the ruse, lowering the flag to half-mast in mourning.
It had been the perfect trap. No one could have predicted it.
Back at the Australian Ninja League, Mandel's return was met with mixed emotions. The other members were only slightly worried, unsure of the exact nature of his mission. They had assumed Mandel's disappearance meant he was hiding his presence well—too well for anyone to notice.
But when Mandel returned, safe and sound, their suspicions started to waver. Had his trip to the US been for nothing?
Some members feared that Mandel's actions might have drawn the Oracle King's attention, but they couldn't ignore the nagging thought that if nothing had changed, then the trip had been a failure.
However, the tone quickly shifted when the Australian Ninja League received a chilling message from the Oracle Palace itself. It was a warning, a reminder that they should not "play tricks" or face the full wrath of the Oracle King. The message revealed that Oracle Palace had already discovered Mandel's whereabouts while he had been hiding in the US.
The response sent a ripple of anxiety through the league. They were aware of the Oracle Palace's formidable intelligence network. Its reach was far beyond what most could fathom.
But Daniel, the leader of the Australian Ninja League, simply laughed when he heard the warning. "Haha, how ruthless! The Oracle Palace is no longer a threat to us," he said, chuckling with bravado.
His words sent ripples of confusion through his followers. "Leader, what do you mean?" one of them asked, baffled. "The Oracle Palace is a powerhouse. How can we disregard their warning?"
Daniel's expression hardened as he sensed their unease. "Do you think," he began, his voice growing darker, "if the Oracle King were truly alive and knew what was happening, he would only send a warning?"
The room fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in. It made sense.
If John had still been the Oracle King, would he have let this matter slide with a mere warning? Of course not. The Oracle King was known for his swift retribution. If provoked, he would retaliate with devastating speed.
But this time, something was different.
Daniel's laugh died down, replaced by a more calculated tone. "What does this mean?" he continued. "It means the Oracle King is no longer the threat he once was. If he were truly in power, he would have struck by now. The Oracle Palace is a shadow of its former self."
His followers exchanged uneasy glances.
Daniel's confidence grew as he continued. "And mark my words—this is the end of the US as the center of martial arts. The future lies with Britain. The true overlord of the martial world is Alex from Britain. That's why we must join the Kingslayer Alliance."
As he finished, a wave of shock rippled through the room. The martial world was changing—and for better or worse, the tides were shifting away from the US.
4o mini